NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Series Preview and Predictions

James Harden — the NBA’s league-leading scorer — will lead the Houston Rockets into the playoffs on Sunday as the team begins its quest to win its first championship since 1994. Top-seeded Houston will open the playoffs as heavy favourites against the eighth-ranked Minnesota Timberwolves. Let’s take a look at all the Western Conference playoff series and the betting lines for each matchup. We will also offer our prediction for each first-round series.

Houston Rockets (-2000) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (+1000)

James Harden has had a remarkable season, leading the NBA in scoring with 30.4 points. Harden and the Rockets, who posted a 65-win campaign to top the Western Conference, will take on the pesky Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.

The Rockets have owned the Timberwolves over the last 10 meetings, winning 9 games during that stretch and out scoring their opponents 121.7 to 112. As good as the Rockets have been this season, the club has been mediocre against the spread with a 41-39-2 record.

The Timberwolves squeaked into the playoffs after wrapping up the regular season with a 47-35 record — a game ahead of the Denver Nuggets for the 8th seed. The Rockets will roll through this series in four.

Golden State Warriors (-1000) vs. San Antonio Spurs (+650)

The defending NBA champions are flying under the radar heading into the playoffs as the No. 2 seeds. The Golden State Warriors open the playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs as heavy favourites at -1000.

The Warriors capped off their seasons with a 58-24 record but did not top the Western Conference for the first time in three years. Golden State will be without its star point guard Stephen Curry, who is expected to miss the entire series with a sprained MCL.

The head-to-head series over the last 10 meetings between these two Western Conference foes has been tilted in Golden State’s direction as the Warriors heave defeated the Spurs 8 times during that stretch. This series will go the distance with Golden State pulling through in the end.

Portland Trail Blazers (-222) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (+180)

The Portland Trail Blazers clinched third place in the West, earning home-court advantage in their opening round series against the New Orleans Pelicans. Damian Lillard often doesn’t get the respect in a star-studded Western Conference, but the forward finished 4th in league scoring with 26.9 points per game.

Lillard and the Blazers are -222 favourites going into the opening round, which begins on April 14. Despite going in as the frontrunners to win the series, Portland has actually struggled against the Pelicans over the last 10 meetings.

New Orleans, which is an enticing +180 underdog pick, has won 6 of the last 10 against the Blazers. This is another series that will go the distance, but the Blazers will come out on top.

Oklahoma City Thunder (-130) vs. Utah Jazz (+110)

There were high expectations pinned on the Oklahoma City Thunder after the club added offensive threats Carmelo Anthony and Paul George in the off-season.

Following a 4th-place finish in the Western Conference, OKC will face the surging Utah Jazz in the first round. The Thunder, who are -130 favourites, sputtered down the stretch, winning 5 of their last 10 games. Bettors will be reluctant to take a chance on the Jazz, who’ve dropped 8 of their last 10 against OKC.

Utah will rely on its stingy defence to keep the Thunder’s best scorers — including Russell Westbrook — from putting up big numbers throughout the series. Utah will put up a fight but OKC’s offence will be too much to handle in what will be a 5 or 6 game series.

The Toronto Raptors have emerged as the main contenders against the reign of the Golden State Warriors in 2019. NBA futures betting show Golden State as overpowering favorites to win another championship, especially in a weakened western conference. However, the rise of the eastern conference this season will produce a strong challenge from Toronto, the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers, all of whom feature the personnel needed to upset the champs.

Super Bowl LIII takes place on February 3rd at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. An unprecedented offensive outburst from the league this season promises a high-scoring championship game. NFL Super Bowl futures over the stretch run features the Rams, Saints, Chiefs and Patriots as popular favorites. Clubs like the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers offer superb value as potential contenders.

There’s no precedent to the Golden State Warriors, who will be overwhelming NBA futures betting favorites to win their third consecutive championship. No team in history has ever fielded a starting lineup consisting of all-stars like the Warriors, a situation most teams can't compete against. Even great contenders like the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers will be longshots to win the 2019 NBA Finals.

Week 14 in the NFL begins a last ditch effort for franchises who still have a shot at making the post season. Clubs like the Panthers and Vikings need victories to avoid another disappointing season. Carolina's a solid bet to beat the Browns, but Minnesota's far from a lock against Seattle. The best NFL spread picks this week also include the Patriots, Rams and Packers.